He deluded honest men to believe that reality was a straightjacket affair and not the happy romance as men had known it. – Principia Discordia
If you are ever unsure about whether there really are forces in the world trying to maintain dangerous levels of order, just have a quick look over at China. On Sunday, artist Ai Weiwei
was prevented from leaving the country and is being held by the government. China is so committed to order that not only are people not allowed to criticize the government, they aren't allowed to leave the country. Apparently if Chinese dissidents were to actually leave the country, it would upset some sort of internal balance that the country is maintaining. It is as if people who are critical of the government are necessary for proper digestion when they eat the population whole, and they simply can't bear to get the hiccups.
Sometimes you might see someone dancing in the street dressed as a brightly coloured dragon and ask yourself how that could possibly be a symbol of strength for one of the most order-obsessed countries in the world. The simple fact is that it has been their symbol since long before they were the oppressive dictatorship we know today and that changing it would involve just that: change. Change is chaos, and China is a country afraid of Chaos. It's understandable: having billions of people under your control is a dangerous situation. Giving them voice, or at least a non-state-approved voice, could easily crumble the entire power structure.
Countries across the Middle East have been overthrowing their dictators, and rumblings of discontent and democracy have been heard across China. Right now the world is seeing change happen in places where the government does not represent the interests of the people. The Chinese government is particularly fearful that it could happen to them, and they are ready and willing to stop it. At least it appears that way, if you assume that keeping internationally-renown artists from leaving the country will somehow prevent the population from erupting.
There is serenity in Chaos. Seek ye the Eye of the Hurricane - Principia Discordia
As a Discordian, I see a lot of my beliefs being manifested in world events today. Not just simply because there is so much Chaos, but in the way people are responding to it. I'm seeing the inner Discordians of people from all walks of life manifest.
If you are a fellow Discordian, then you probably see it already. If you are not a Discordian, you may be curious about what I am referring to.
Today I want to discuss what's going on in Libya. The people of Libya are rising up to depose Muammar Gaddafi, who has been in charge for 42 years. On its surface, there's nothing more Discordian than wanting to shake things up, particularly if they have been stagnant for 42 years. What I find particularly interesting about this is the international reaction: People are largely supportive of the protests, as well as concerned that a new government will just be more of the same.
The concerns that the typical Discordian would have about this type of uprising is in regards to the ideology that will take over. In the cycle of Chaos and Order, after a series of protests now verging on all-out war, there will likely be a strong desire for stability in the region, and that's where the inner Discordians should be very concerned: Instead of putting someone in power who wants all the things they were protesting for, they could easily pick someone simply to put things back to normal. That could easily mean they would forget the freedom they were fighting for and choose someone based on their ability to establish the status quo, likely through wealth or international contacts. It seems unlikely that the Libyan people took to the streets to get themselves a self-serving puppet dictator, so hopefully they can keep their eyes on the prize when the dust starts to settle.
